Self-Evaluation.

My chosen project (as you've probably already guessed) is Street Photography. I needed to show Human interaction and traditional influences.

This was a 35mm film Project. Yes, the old school, open the back and put the little roll in.

Having never picked up a film Camera in my life until this point. I thought it would be a very interesting and challenging task. The outcome of the images relies solely on my skills and ability to work the controls of the Camera.

I decided instead of using the streets I know and use frequently, I'd buy myself a ticket and go on a little adventure to London. This way, there'd be no distractions from people I know and my path would be aimless. Not knowing where the next Street would take me and who the next person would be that I met.

My Weapon of choice was a Praktica MTL50 with a 50mm (f1.8-f22) Prime Lens. My choice of film was Ilford HP5 400asa. I decided on this speed Film because it's a nice starting ground for both indoor and outdoor shooting.

My influence in this project has been the way we use architecture in our streets and city's to direct us in our commutes and day-to-day journeys.

They subconsciously edge us in an almost robotic way.

Much like the way an Ant's Nest is formed into a series of tunnels. Making an order of how the Ant's may or may not move in their daily routine.

It's as if we as humans have made the street into our guardian. Telling us where and which way we're allowed to venture.

I chose these five images because they show the direction of the Street. The lines in the walls,

Floor, banisters, even the tiles and road markings on the floor are giving a reference of direction. By capturing this in my work, it has successfully met the requirements of this project. Not only that but by using the street as my subject and taking a step back from the usual way the public and I use it. I have realized how much an amazing place it is to take five minutes off from the world and be a part of it, rather than just using it as a through-way.

To improve on my work, I need to spend more time on the Street. This would help me develop my knowledge of how the Street works a little better and give me time to find quirky places that have usually been over looked as having artistic potential. I'd like to spend more time using reflections, like the image I've included of the Barber Shop. This style has been famously adopted by Lee Friedlander and gives a very interesting outcome. Forcing the viewer to look deeper into the Photograph and investigate what is real and what is just a reflection.

Prior to my trip to London, I investigated a number of photographers and the styles of their work. This gave me a better insight to the genres of Street Photography and gave me some guidance for my own personal work.

Although I did a bit of work across a plethora of genres. It all came back to the leading lines of the Street and their control over us.

One of the problems I encountered throughout this project was the constantly changing light. Although I'd decided on a 400asa Film, which is a very good all-rounder. The dim lighting in the Subways and alleyways forced me to use a smaller f-stop. Sacrificing my depth of field. It was either that or go even slower on my shutter speed that would potentially give me Camera shake or blur from the people moving.

Another was that the 50mm Lens I'd chose to use was very hard to see through at a higher f-stop. A technique I picked up was to switch to a very small f-stop (wide aperture) to get my focus and then concentrate on adjustment of my f-stop accordingly.

As exciting as it was learning to shoot on film. I found the processing of the Film and creating the photographs even more interesting.

While on my little adventure. All the time I was walking around and taking picture after picture, roll after roll. In the back of my mind I was thinking 'I hope this old Camera actually works'.

To me, the suspense and hope between the time you shoot that first Photograph and when you finally develop the film so you can see the stories you've recorded. That's the exciting part.

The most magical and beautiful part of Film photography has to be the making of the Photograph itself.

I don't care how sceptical about magic you are. Shining light onto a piece of paper and putting it in Acid, to see an image appear before your Eye's. Sounds a bit better than pulling a Rabbit out of a Hat if you ask me.

This project has not only thrown me in at the deep end with Concrete Shoes on, it's also given me the opportunity to view people and the street we live in or on, at a more personal level. Allowing me to take time to find out what it does for us and makes us do. The smells, the architecture.

I feel sorry for anyone that goes all the way through his or her life and not have this experience.